Matthew wrote to show that Christ
was the
Messiah and fulfilled the Jewish prophecies.

Narrator:
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. One of the
Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,Speaker: “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”Narrator: They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from
that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of
the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said,Speaker: “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”Narrator: He said,Jesus: “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher
says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the
Passover with my disciples.”’”Narrator: The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and
prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the
Twelve. And while they were eating, he said,Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray
me.”Narrator: Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one
after another,Speaker: “Surely it is not I, Lord?”Narrator: He said in reply,Jesus: “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with
me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written
of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be
better for that man if he had never been born.”Narrator: Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,Speaker: “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”Narrator: He answered,Jesus: “You have said so.”Narrator: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the
blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,Jesus: “Take and eat; this is my body.”Narrator: Then he took a cup,
gave thanks, an gave it to them, saying,Jesus: “Drink from it, all of you, for this is
my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the
forgiveness of sins. I tell you from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the
vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”Narrator: Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to
the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,Jesus: “This night all of you will have your
faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raise up, I
shall go before you to Galilee.”Narrator: Peter said to him in reply,Speaker: “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will
never be.”Narrator: Jesus said to him,Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, this very
night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”Narrator: Peter said to him,Speaker: “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not
deny you.”Narrator: He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them,Jesus: “My soul is sorrowful even to
death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”Narrator: He advanced a little and fell prostrate in
prayer, saying,Jesus: “My Father, if it is possible, let this
cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”Narrator: When he returned to his disciples he found
them asleep. He said to Peter,Jesus: “So you could not keep watch with
me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Narrator: Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,Jesus: “My Father, if it is not possible
that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”Narrator: Then he returned once more and found them
asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew
again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. The he returned to
his disciples and said to them,Jesus: “Are you still sleeping and taking
your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over
to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”Narrator: While he was still speaking, Judas, one of
the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who
had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had
arranged a sign with them, saying, Speaker: “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.”Narrator: Immediately
he went over to Jesus and said,Speaker: “Hail, Rabbi!”Narrator: and he kissed him. Jesus
answered him,Jesus: “Friend, do what you
have come for.”Narrator: Then stepping forward they laid hands on
Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his
hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off
his ear. The Jesus said to him,Jesus: “Put your sword back
into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. D you
think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this
moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the
Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?”Narrator: At that hour Jesus said to the
crowds,Jesus: “Have you come out as
against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Did after day I sat
teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But al this has come to
pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.”Narrator: Then all the disciples left him
and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high
priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following
him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard, and going inside he sat
down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire
Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put
him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward who stated,Chorus: “This man said, ‘I can destroy the
temple of God and within three says rebuild it.’”Narrator: The high priest rose and
addressed him,Speaker: “Have you no answer? What are these men
testifying against you?”Narrator: But Jesus was silent. Then the
high priest said to him,Speaker: “I order you to tell us under oath before the
living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”Narrator: Jesus said to him in reply,Jesus: “You have said so. But I
tell you: From now on you will see ’the Son of Man seated at the right hand of
the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”Narrator: Then the high priest tore his
robes and said,Speaker: “He has blasphemed!
What further need have we of witnesses? You
have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?”Narrator: They said in reply,Chorus: “He deserves to die!”Narrator: Then they spat in his face and
struck him, while some slapped him, saying,Chorus: “Prophesy for us, Christ; who is
it that struck you?”Narrator: Now Peter was sitting outside in
the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said,Chorus: “You too were with Jesus the
Galilean.”Narrator: But he denied it in front of
everyone, saying,Speaker: “I do not know what you are talking
about!”Narrator: As he went out to the gate,
another girl saw him and said to those who were there,Chorus: “This man was with Jesus the
Nazorean.”Narrator: Again he denied it with an oath,Speaker: “I do not know the man!”Narrator: A little later the bystanders
came over and said to Peter,Chorus: “Surely you too are one of them;
even your speech gives you away.”Narrator: At that he began to curse and to
swear,Speaker: “I do not know the man.”Narrator: And immediately a cock crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the cock crows you
will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was
morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against
Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to
Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been
condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of
silver to the chief priests and elders, saying,Speaker: “I have sinned in betraying innocent
blood.”Narrator: They said,Chorus:
“What is that to us? Look to it yourself.”Narrator: Flinging the money into the
temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered
up the money, but said,Chorus: “It is not lawful to deposit this
in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.” Narrator: After consultation, they used it
to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that
field even today is called the Field of Blood.” Then was fulfilled what had
been said through Jeremiah the prophet, And they took the thirty pieces of
silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the
Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had
commanded me.Narrator: Now Jesus stood before the
governor, and he questioned him,Speaker: “Are you the king of the Jews?”Narrator: Jesus said,Jesus: “You say so.”Narrator: And when he was accused by the
chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him,Speaker: “Do you not hear how many things they are
testifying against you?”
Narrator: But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly
amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release
to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a
notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to
them,Speaker: “Which one do you want me to release to you,
Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?Narrator: For he knew that it was out of
envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his
wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I
suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the
elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The
governor said to them in reply,Speaker: “Which of the two do you want me to release
to you?”Narrator: They answered,Chorus: “Barabbas!”Narrator: Pilate said to them,Speaker: “Then what shall I do with Jesus called
Christ?”Narrator: They all said,Chorus: “Let him be crucified!”Narrator: But he said,Speaker:
“Why? What evil has he done?”Chorus: “Let him be crucified!”Narrator: When Pilate saw that he was not
succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and
washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying,Speaker: “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to
it yourselves.”Narrator: And the whole people said in
reply,Chorus: “His blood be upon us and upon our
children.”Narrator: Then he released Barabbas to
them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
Narrator: Then he released Barabbas to them, but
after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the
soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole
cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military
cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and
a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,Chorus: “Hail, King of the Jews!”Narrator: They spat upon him and took the reed
ad kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped
him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify
him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon: this man they
pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called
Golgotha – which means Place of the Skull – they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed
with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had
crucified him, they divided his garments bv casting lots; then they sat down and
kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge
against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were
crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing
by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,Chorus: “You who would destroy the temple and
rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come
down from the cross!”Narrator: Likewise the chief priests with
the scribes and elders mocked him and said,Chorus: “He saved others; he cannot save
himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now,
and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver his now if he
wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
narrator: The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him
in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until
three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud
voice,Jesus: “Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?”Narrator: Which means,Jesus: “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?”Narrator:
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,Chorus: “This one is calling for Elijah.”Narrator: Immediately one of them ran to
get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to
drink. But the rest said,Chorus: “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to
save him.”Narrator: But Jesus cried out again in a loud
voice, and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
Narrator: And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was
torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were
opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And
coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city
and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch
over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was
happening, and they said,Chorus: “Truly, this was the Son of God!”Narrator: There were many women there, looking
on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the
mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from
Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.
Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb
that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance
to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained
sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of
preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and
said,Chorus: “Sir we remember that this
impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raise up.’ Give
orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples
come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’
This last imposture would be worse than the first.”Narrator: Pilate said to them,Speaker: “The guard is yours; go, secure it as best
you can.”Narrator: So they went and secured the
tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.

Gospel Reflection

It
is the morning of Good Friday and onto the sunlit portico steps Pontius Pilate,
the governor of Judea, to judge between the Just One and Barabbas, an
insurrectionist and murderer. Pilate knows that he is in a very difficult
situation: If he releases our blessed Lord, a riot will ensue and Pilate will
have to answer to his superiors in Rome for his lack of leadership and
discipline over Roman subjects in Palestine. Meanwhile, releasing Barabbas
means sending an innocent man (Jesus) to his death. St. Matthew’s Gospel
rendition of the Passion indicates that Pilate is keenly aware that the Jewish
elders want Jesus killed out of envy.

Archbishop
Fulton Sheen once wrote that in each of us, our conscience is the tribunal of
Pilate. Each day, Christ comes before that tribunal as virtue, honesty and
purity. Barabbas presents himself as vice, dishonesty and impurity. Whenever I
speak uncharitably, act dishonestly or consent to an evil thought, I say, like
Pilate, “Release unto me Barabbas.” That choice and those choices throughout my
life are what crucify Jesus time and again. Whenever I act virtuously, I beg
for Jesus’ life and lighten the load He carries in the world for me. Ironically,
Barabbas literally means, “Son of the Father.” So, Pilate is asking the crowd
to choose between Jesus, the true Son of the Father and Barabbas, whose name
carries the exact same literal meaning. And yet, our blessed Lord and Barabbas
could not be more different. In the same way, the human person’s conscience
must decide between good and evil, even if in their estimation, the two might
appear to be very similar, at least in name. Temptations from outside and man’s
internal disordered desires wounded by original sin often cause him to struggle
to distinguish between good and evil. Pilate’s struggle to act justly can often
be our own.

It
is convenient to relegate the events of the Passion and death of Jesus as mere
historical occurrences that carry no immediate consequences for my life. I can
appreciate the ultimate love that Jesus shows by His decision to lay down His
life for me, but I can do so as a mere spectator or casual observer of heroism
and great altruism. The real challenge of entering deeply into the mystery of
Christ’s suffering and death is found in my willingness to assimilate these
events as deeply consequential for me, in a personal way. This idea was not
lost on St. Paul who wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer
I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal
2:20)

Pious
and devout participation in the liturgies of the sacred triduum is perhaps one
of the best ways to enter deeply into the paschal mystery. The joy of Easter is
more pronounced when one has spent time in liturgical and personal prayer over
the preceding three days from Holy Thursday through the Easter Vigil. The
ritualization of these events evokes in us the proper sentiments to allow the
mystery of Christ’s love for us to penetrate our souls. It is in learning to
die with Jesus that we rise with Him in glory. May we allow these words to
become more than a pious phrase but authentically descriptive of our
discipleship.